no weight loss in 9 days

catherinemaxwell566

I was consistently losing a pound or a little more a week for last 6 weeks but now I haven't lost a single pound in 9 days and im on 1500 cals a day with running off around 300 of those a day, should I lower my calories or just keep going and wait? I know theres a chance im building muscle because of the running but I don't wana blame that as feel like that is cheating

alyhuggan

You aren't building muscle at a deficit

If you drop your calories much more you run the risk of going under your BMR which is dangerous for your body. That's if you aren't already under it.

Netting 1200 is usually too little for most people, it would be recommended to up it (unless you are like <5' and 50+ years old)

catherinemaxwell566

So any suggestion on how to start losing weight again?

JenMc14

So any suggestion on how to start losing weight again?

Be patient. Despite the whole "3500 calories = 1 pound", weight loss isn't linear. You might lose 3 pounds one week, nothing for two weeks, lose one the next week, etc.

AliceDark

Weight loss isn't linear, so you'll have some weeks when you just don't lose pounds. If what you're doing has been working well up until now, give it some more time. Are you taking measurements? You'll have some weeks where you lose inches but not pounds, some weeks where you lose pounds but not inches, etc.

qtgonewild

9 days? STOP THE PRESS!

catherinemaxwell566

9 days? STOP THE PRESS!

lol sorry im not the most patient person in the world.

I didn't take any measurements, wishing I had now as I think my tummy is lookin a bit flatter

Anonycatgirl

If you keep maintaining rather than losing over several weeks, you might be eating more than you thought, but for just 9 days, it's probably water retention, or hormones, or one of those weird non-linear blips.

AliceDark

I took a peek back through your diary and there are a few entries that strike me as being a little odd (toast with peanut butter with 0g protein, 4 tbsp of vegetable bean chili with 56g of protein). You may want to tighten up on your logging and double-check your entries just to be sure that you're not unintentionally eating more than you think or getting inaccurate macro totals.

catherinemaxwell566

yeh Im more calorie watching to be honest so I didn't even look at the protein, fat, sodium etc side of it, im just using entries that other people have made if the calories match up. I know im not eating more calories than I think because I check the packaging but I suppose I could be eating more carbs or fat than I thought, to be honest I don't really understand how much fat you should have so I ignore that aspect n just use common sense

catherinemaxwell566

ok now its 21 days with no loss or gain lol help!!
im being really careful wirh my entries now so theyre pretty accurate, don't understand it

catherinemaxwell566

just to add iv gone from zero exercise to working out 5 days a week, is there a chance im gaining muscle and this would explain it?

SKME2013

Same for me. Lost 6kg in 12 weeks and nothing in the last four weeks. I have not gained weight either, so I am not worried.

I know I had some higher calorie days, particularly in the last week, but then I burned more on those days, at least according to my fitbit activity tracker.

I am very close to my goal weight and it is getting trickier. I will probably return to the 5:2 diet for a couple of weeks and some calorie cycling (some days with more calories and others with less) to get things moving again.

Best of luck!
Stef.

samxhsiang

From what I've heard and researched online, an average natural woman is able to gain about between 0.12-0.25 pounds of muscle per week. Plus you are on deficit, so, I don't think it's the muscle weight.

rukuslivesagain

Are you doing straight weight tracking or are you taking a composition once a week?

vanessajv

stay fouce i lost 170 pounds just by using the gym RETRO

MinMin97

I'm 5'7" tall, 45years old, exercising about 500 calorie burns on average, and I eat 1800-2000 cals per day and my losses have been 2lbs per week for the last 2 months (ignore my ticker I have not updated it).

At your age and activity level, I am guessing that you are eating too little. What is your height? Can you eat another small meal (300-400 cals) for the next week and see if you do better?
I think macros are important....more cardio type exercises make me want more carbs (I keep my carbs at or below 200 nearly always). Strength training makes me want more protein (100 or more grams).

What are your energy levels like? Do you feel tired/sleepy? Or alert/energetic?

catherinemaxwell566

Are you doing straight weight tracking or are you taking a composition once a week?

sorry im not sure what you mean, I weigh myself every couple days in the morning

catherinemaxwell566

I'm 5'7" tall, 45years old, exercising about 500 calorie burns on average, and I eat 1800-2000 cals per day and my losses have been 2lbs per week for the last 2 months (ignore my ticker I have not updated it).

At your age and activity level, I am guessing that you are eating too little. What is your height? Can you eat another small meal (300-400 cals) for the next week and see if you do better?
I think macros are important....more cardio type exercises make me want more carbs (I keep my carbs at or below 200 nearly always). Strength training makes me want more protein (100 or more grams).

What are your energy levels like? Do you feel tired/sleepy? Or alert/energetic?

I only do 200-300 cal workouts 5 days a week and its 4 days jogging and 1 day high intensity aerial yoga.
my energy levels are great, never felt so healthy in my life and MFP says im eating enough and hunger hasn't been a problem at all. im just shy if 5'3"

my other weight fell off easy with exact same eating pattern so im confused.
might it be because im not far off my goal weight that fat is being stubborn, for the record im 125lbs, hoping to get to 115

Tigredia

I experienced the same thing last month. I almost went a month without a loss. It was suggested I try a day or two of more calories. I did, increased my calories by 500 for two days and then went back to 1200 calories. It did help and I started losing again. Something about resetting

heybales

just to add iv gone from zero exercise to working out 5 days a week, is there a chance im gaining muscle and this would explain it?

Not a chance.

Your exercise is asking your body to make other improvements - store more glycogen for the cardio you do. That stores with water - that can mask fat loss on the scale.

But - do you see inches going down?
That would be the sign that is occurring.

Besides - your BMR, basic metabolism, literally does change through the month - your numbers are really meaningless until you hit 28 days.

When you have more to lose, you can do more incorrect and inaccurate and still see positive results.
That's not the case when you have less to lose - smaller margin for error to still see results.

You should also probably back off trying to lose so fast at this point, you have probably hit the point it's going to be a fight with your body for faster weight loss. A fight you'll lose, and not fat loss either.

Change your weight loss goal to back off. It means you'll be eating more. Which means a smaller deficit, which is exactly what is needed when you have less to lose.

Would you rather purposely take a smaller rate of loss by smart choices, or have your body force it on you by dumb choices.

To lose weight you eat less than when at heavy weight, and move more.

But if the loss stops, you don't eat even less and move even more, that'll backfire as you may be about to experience.

MinMin97

I'm 5'7" tall, 45years old, exercising about 500 calorie burns on average, and I eat 1800-2000 cals per day and my losses have been 2lbs per week for the last 2 months (ignore my ticker I have not updated it).

At your age and activity level, I am guessing that you are eating too little. What is your height? Can you eat another small meal (300-400 cals) for the next week and see if you do better?
I think macros are important....more cardio type exercises make me want more carbs (I keep my carbs at or below 200 nearly always). Strength training makes me want more protein (100 or more grams).

What are your energy levels like? Do you feel tired/sleepy? Or alert/energetic?

I only do 200-300 cal workouts 5 days a week and its 4 days jogging and 1 day high intensity aerial yoga.
my energy levels are great, never felt so healthy in my life and MFP says im eating enough and hunger hasn't been a problem at all. im just shy if 5'3"

my other weight fell off easy with exact same eating pattern so im confused.
might it be because im not far off my goal weight that fat is being stubborn, for the record im 125lbs, hoping to get to 115

If you are expecting Aunt Flo in the next week, then there is a natural tendency to retain water, as well as have slower digestion. That may contribute?

Also, it sounds like you are on a good track...keep up the good work!

catherinemaxwell566

just to add iv gone from zero exercise to working out 5 days a week, is there a chance im gaining muscle and this would explain it?

Not a chance.

Your exercise is asking your body to make other improvements - store more glycogen for the cardio you do. That stores with water - that can mask fat loss on the scale.

But - do you see inches going down?
That would be the sign that is occurring.

Besides - your BMR, basic metabolism, literally does change through the month - your numbers are really meaningless until you hit 28 days.

When you have more to lose, you can do more incorrect and inaccurate and still see positive results.
That's not the case when you have less to lose - smaller margin for error to still see results.

You should also probably back off trying to lose so fast at this point, you have probably hit the point it's going to be a fight with your body for faster weight loss. A fight you'll lose, and not fat loss either.

Change your weight loss goal to back off. It means you'll be eating more. Which means a smaller deficit, which is exactly what is needed when you have less to lose.

Would you rather purposely take a smaller rate of loss by smart choices, or have your body force it on you by dumb choices.

To lose weight you eat less than when at heavy weight, and move more.

But if the loss stops, you don't eat even less and move even more, that'll backfire as you may be about to experience.

thanks that was really helpful,
im not sure about seeing it in my body to be honest, wish id done measurements now,

catherinemaxwell566

I'm 5'7" tall, 45years old, exercising about 500 calorie burns on average, and I eat 1800-2000 cals per day and my losses have been 2lbs per week for the last 2 months (ignore my ticker I have not updated it).

At your age and activity level, I am guessing that you are eating too little. What is your height? Can you eat another small meal (300-400 cals) for the next week and see if you do better?
I think macros are important....more cardio type exercises make me want more carbs (I keep my carbs at or below 200 nearly always). Strength training makes me want more protein (100 or more grams).

What are your energy levels like? Do you feel tired/sleepy? Or alert/energetic?

I only do 200-300 cal workouts 5 days a week and its 4 days jogging and 1 day high intensity aerial yoga.
my energy levels are great, never felt so healthy in my life and MFP says im eating enough and hunger hasn't been a problem at all. im just shy if 5'3"

my other weight fell off easy with exact same eating pattern so im confused.
might it be because im not far off my goal weight that fat is being stubborn, for the record im 125lbs, hoping to get to 115

If you are expecting Aunt Flo in the next week, then there is a natural tendency to retain water, as well as have slower digestion. That may contribute?

Also, it sounds like you are on a good track...keep up the good work!

well I have the implant so Aunt Flo's visits can be a little erratic lol, inface after not seeing her for a few months she decided to stay twice this month for a week at a time...

SLLRunner

I was consistently losing a pound or a little more a week for last 6 weeks but now I haven't lost a single pound in 9 days and im on 1500 cals a day with running off around 300 of those a day, should I lower my calories or just keep going and wait? I know theres a chance im building muscle because of the running but I don't wana blame that as feel like that is cheating

Do not lower your intake. Look at your logging habits.

Do you weigh and log all food you eat? Where do you get your exercise calories from-gym machine, phone app, MFP, or heart rate monitor. It has been my experience that the heart rate monitor is most accurate an that the gym machines/MFP/hone apps all overestimate calories burned by anywhere from 100-250 calories. A combination of these things can kill a deficit pretty quickly.

You don't gain muscle on a deficit, and running is not a real muscle builder anyway though you do get toned. Running is for endurance, weight lifting is for strength.

catherinemaxwell566

I was consistently losing a pound or a little more a week for last 6 weeks but now I haven't lost a single pound in 9 days and im on 1500 cals a day with running off around 300 of those a day, should I lower my calories or just keep going and wait? I know theres a chance im building muscle because of the running but I don't wana blame that as feel like that is cheating

Do not lower your intake. Look at your logging habits.

Do you weigh and log all food you eat? Where do you get your exercise calories from-gym machine, phone app, MFP, or heart rate monitor. It has been my experience that the heart rate monitor is most accurate an that the gym machines/MFP/hone apps all overestimate calories burned by anywhere from 100-250 calories. A combination of these things can kill a deficit pretty quickly.

You don't gain muscle on a deficit, and running is not a real muscle builder anyway though you do get toned. Running is for endurance, weight lifting is for strength.

I just use MFP for exercise calorie tracking but even if that's out it shouldn't be a problem considering that even with exercise I rarely eat over 1600 cals right?

heybales

I was consistently losing a pound or a little more a week for last 6 weeks but now I haven't lost a single pound in 9 days and im on 1500 cals a day with running off around 300 of those a day, should I lower my calories or just keep going and wait? I know theres a chance im building muscle because of the running but I don't wana blame that as feel like that is cheating

Do not lower your intake. Look at your logging habits.

Do you weigh and log all food you eat? Where do you get your exercise calories from-gym machine, phone app, MFP, or heart rate monitor. It has been my experience that the heart rate monitor is most accurate an that the gym machines/MFP/hone apps all overestimate calories burned by anywhere from 100-250 calories. A combination of these things can kill a deficit pretty quickly.

You don't gain muscle on a deficit, and running is not a real muscle builder anyway though you do get toned. Running is for endurance, weight lifting is for strength.

I just use MFP for exercise calorie tracking but even if that's out it shouldn't be a problem considering that even with exercise I rarely eat over 1600 cals right?

There was another important question in that post you missed.

So your calories out could be inflated. What about calories in?

catherinemaxwell566

I was consistently losing a pound or a little more a week for last 6 weeks but now I haven't lost a single pound in 9 days and im on 1500 cals a day with running off around 300 of those a day, should I lower my calories or just keep going and wait? I know theres a chance im building muscle because of the running but I don't wana blame that as feel like that is cheating

Do not lower your intake. Look at your logging habits.

Do you weigh and log all food you eat? Where do you get your exercise calories from-gym machine, phone app, MFP, or heart rate monitor. It has been my experience that the heart rate monitor is most accurate an that the gym machines/MFP/hone apps all overestimate calories burned by anywhere from 100-250 calories. A combination of these things can kill a deficit pretty quickly.

You don't gain muscle on a deficit, and running is not a real muscle builder anyway though you do get toned. Running is for endurance, weight lifting is for strength.

I just use MFP for exercise calorie tracking but even if that's out it shouldn't be a problem considering that even with exercise I rarely eat over 1600 cals right?

There was another important question in that post you missed.

So your calories out could be inflated. What about calories in?

I don't weigh my food but I go by what the packaging tells me, its obviously not 100% accurate when I guess my portion sizes but theyre informed guesses, for example if a bag says serving size 40g and then four servings per container its very easy to work out how much iv had. if im not entirely sure I tend to put a little more than I think iv had

heybales

I don't weigh my food but I go by what the packaging tells me, its obviously not 100% accurate when I guess my portion sizes but theyre informed guesses, for example if a bag says serving size 40g and then four servings per container its very easy to work out how much iv had. if im not entirely sure I tend to put a little more than I think iv had

So besides the fact there is usually more food in a package than stated on the front so they don't get nabbed for shorting the customer, actually do the math for the serving size and the stated package size.

Go surprise yourself on some recent stuff. Go ahead, I'll wait.

I've had 2 things today that went the opposite direction of normal.
"about 2 servings" ended up being 1.72 and 1.74 servings actually. And that's if the package really contained that weight, which I did weigh in this case.

That's how much variance they are allowed.
Usually I see 2.25 to 2.45 actually servings per package for "about 2 servings". And if 200 cal's per serving, you don't know how much you are eating over at that point.

So, you can either get more accurate on your logging of what you eat so you actually know how many calories it was, or wait 28 days and see how much you really lost.

Then you can adjust your calorie goal from there.
So while you may have logged a sloppy 1600 calories, in reality you ate say 1850 calories.

So after a month you find you lost no weight, and your average logged daily was 1600.

You find 250 calories to remove from what you eat. And continue to log inaccurate.

So while the goal may say now 1350 calories eaten, your inaccuracy means you are literally eating 1600 calories. And that should cause a deficit. As bad as it looks.

But only attempt that if you are positive you are coming in from the high side of the estimate.
If not, you will be forcing your body to adapt to eating too little. You may lose for a bit, and then bam, nothing again.
Lower again, you may get a tad more loss, you may not. Lower again. Now how low are you willing to go - knowing that maintenance at that super low level is going to suck.

don't let this happen by chasing an adapted metabolism in to the ground.

http://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage